the minute i enter the doctors office my bp shoots through the roof. the minute i step out the doctors office i feel so relaxed and my bp goes right back down.
Omg same! I took one look at a bp monitor today, felt my pulse go high and it was 147/86 with a pulse of 156. Yeah the pulse said it all. It's normally 118/75 with a pulse or 86. Yeah I hate seeing those machines
100% anxiety. Mine was 196/112 pulse was 133... this was at home. It started w me checking it and it was first at 139/79.... the more I did it the more my heart raced along with my anxiety. This was all in my head and myself getting worked up. It eventually came back down but I've seen it go from 180 back to 129 in 5 mins. Bp monitors trigger it and then the thoughts n worrying of if it's high or not and all this negative thoughts just eventually destroy you. I've isolated myself for days in a room cuz of the anxiety but I'm here to tell you, it's all in your head and your fine.
Absolutely right, the fear they put you in, then try to sell u drugs….when it’s proven that the drugs don’t prevent heart attacks or strokes, they admit it too, lol… It is in your head, yup.
Yes. Taking my blood pressure makes me anxious. I had my eyes tested recently to see if there is any damage from blood pressure. None. I don’t take meds. I am 70 years old.
As a former biomedical equipment technician who had to repair Dinamaps (automatic BP monitors) as far back as 1975; my BP always ran about 145/95. Of course, various doctors tried to intimidate me into taking BP meds and I always refused. Forty years later I've outlived the people who did take BP medicine. BP meds is a Gateway drug that is merely the start to getting prescribed endless other prescriptions; and their accompanying side-effects.
This happened to me yesterday, the reading at the medical office spiked up to 197/124 at some point while I was arguing with a nurse who said white coat syndrome couldn't raise blood pressure that high (after I asked her to not ask questions or talk to me while I took it) But then later at home it was 111/87. According to them that would be impossible. I took videos of me taking my blood pressure and made sure my wife took video of time and date on my phone as well as blood pressure machine so they couldn't say it was impossible. Very ignorant medical community we have here in the US. NOBODY is practicing medicine they're all following a chart. Thing is if they researched it on NIH.gov they'd see it can spike extremely high due to white coat syndrome. I called the office later to ask them where I could send the videos and nobody is interested in seeing the videos but they're ok thinking that I'm lying. SMH.
I have tried to overcome white coat syndrome for so long. Nothing seems to help me except to go home and take it there. I honestly wish nurses and techs had better training in it. 😭
They take blood pressure wrong to boot! They're supposed to elevate your arm and NOT talk to you nor ask questions while you're taking it. They don't do this. I had a procedure done yesterday and the anesthesiologist assistant started arguing with me while she was taking my blood pressure and telling me that white coat syndrome couldn't spike it that high even after I asked her several times to not talk to me nor ask questions while the machine was taking my blood pressure. It spiked up to 197/124 while arguing with her and the first reading as soon as I got home was 111/87. I made my wife take videos of this so I could prove it to them and when I talked to the business manager today and told her and wanted her to see the videos she wasn't interested and said "I believe you" which is a crock of shit! Cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias are very dangerous! Especially in politics and medicine! People NEVER want to see evidence that they were wrong and just bury their head in the sand. I have no problem admitting I was wrong and changing my position when faced with irrefutable evidence.
@@Rumination_VertexAll we can do is to refuse to take the meds. Mine is always 200/100 when I go to the doctor. Normal at home. Telling me to calm down won’t help. At 70 I think I know how to advocate for my own health.
I have perhaps the world's worst case of White Coat Syndrome.... 125-135/70-75 at home... 190/100 EVEN when a nurse takes it at my home. Nurse leaves - 90 minutes later - back to normal. Heck, my brother was a doctor and when HE took at at my home it was high. Crazy.
@@gladiator22666 Just like me. I'm a healthy gym rat with good blood results all are perfect even ECG...but not with my BP and heart rate. Just seeing the bp machine freaks me out...
I HAVE THIS BADLY...MY BLOOD PRESSURE AT HOME IS 122/82.....AND AS SOON AS I GET ANYWHERE NEAR ANYYYYY TYPE OF DOCTOR'S SITUATION IT GOES UP TO 176/ 110 ITS CRAZYYY
Babe me too ! The machine also makes me nervous. As soon as I hear the velcro and feel it sqeezing my arm I feel my beats getting higher . I hate it and now I'm confused and want to rule out hbp , anxiety combined with wcs. 🥹 When I see them coming with a monitor I get scared like they are coming with an alligator . It's so horrible . What do you do ? Are you feeling any better ?
This happens to me and yesterday it happened and the stupid nurse told me that white coat syndrome couldn't make your blood pressure spike that high. Not the first time an ignorant healthcare worker told me this. All they have to do is go to nih.gov and read the data where they confirm it can spike as high as 40 to 60 points and in my case even higher cause I've had to battle insurance companies to not rate me higher risk so it has real life ramifications for me. It took a while for me to accept I had white coat syndrome cause I used to not feel nervous but the good doc convinced me of it and now that I've accepted it I have a hoard of medical idiots tell me I'm wrong haha!
I honestly suffered from White coat syndrome. Home reading is around 110/70 but in the doctors got 150/90. They tested me for ECG, 2D Echo, all blood test even Kidney test ( arteries and KUPB) there are all normal. I need to really relax when getting a reading at the clinic or physical exam because I believe I'm normal when not tense.
I’ve had controlled blood pressure for 20 years . I take my bp daily and always take my readings to the docs when I have my check up . The last time I went the young nurse took my bp , the white coat syndrome took over and there it was ….the reading from hell . I told her to look at my home readings , she didn’t care . She ran into the docs room and booked me in for a series of tests . A waste of my time and theirs . All was ok . Then they wonder why you get white coat syndrome ! That young nurse was picking out a coffin for me ! When I gave the nurse my home readings the last reading was an hour before my appointment….that was fine . Dreading my next appointment………..
@@gladiator22666 And the saga will continue as long as She's got anxiety about you, thus misdiagnosing you, you will continually feel it in an already Unfamiliar Environment ..
@@wrotedog this might sound silly but I have more experience taking BP than she does . I’ve only got one kidney so if my BP stayed high for a while I would contact the doctor so he could sort things out . I’ve taken my BP daily for over 20 years . Unfortunately this white coat thing is still with me , probably always will be .
Thanks Dr. I do monitor my BP at home and averagely 113/70. It's quite high when I get it done in doctor's office and also during organized medical checkup. If I do check it again using the same device at home, the result is quite good. I will implement the advice given. I have had this situation for 35 years, trust me.
Had a bad problem with this at a dentist, it was 241 over 140. They wouldn't work on me, had me go get a "release" from my physician. It was also high there but on the form they wrote "Patient BP is high but is asymptomatic, OK to proceed". I would not take meds. So went back to the dentist but they still refused to work on me. A short time later went to my regular doctor (new one) and it was 140/92. At least part of the problem was the dentist was not doing the test correctly! No time to relax, laying back on the chair with feet up, arm hanging down and I think sleeve was way too tight (it hurt). MANY doctors do not take it correctly... you should have a moment to relax, be sitting upright with feet flat on the floor, arm about heart height and sleeve should not be too tight. Taking it incorrectly is a prescription for death, since if you get on BP meds and don't need them you are screwed.
I love that this may keep some patients from being prescribed unnecessary meds... which often come with a list of side effects and consequences. Bravo!
If you're feeling anxious or worried when you sit down to have your blood pressure measured, ask the doctor or nurse to wait a bit so you can calm down.👍
I had a mild stroke July 5. My readings at my doctor are always high. I took my home BP machine to his office and he agreed it was accurate. At home I relax and get very good readings. Nurses don't seem to understand this. I am on meds again and it helps. At home my BP can range from 150/90 to 110/70 in 10-15 minutes, all because I can relax in my own setting
I've started doing this breathing as part of a lower your BP challenge program with Dr. Livingood Lifestyle membership. It works. I was put on Atenolol over 30 years ago and my dr. left me on it because of white coat syndrome. Plus a diuretic. So here comes Covid19 and the lockdowns. I lost my substitute teaching job during that time, so I took up hiking trails and 6 day/week exercise videos and elliptical training at home to pass the time. the next thing I know, I've lost 20 pounds and kept it off all this time. Im 63 years old. Then I developed dizziness while hiking and orthostatic hypotension, started fainting when standing up all of a sudden. I felt like it was not safe for me to be taking drugs for white coat syndrome when I was hiking regularly. I stopped the diuretic immediately last October and told my dr. I was getting off the mess. Starting in December, I started gradually tapering the atenolol. Last week I took my last 1/2 pill. My avg Bp for the month of January is 124/86. My resting heart rate is 57-75 on any given day and I feel great. I'm sleeping good. I've dropped a few more pounds because of HIIT daily. I'm doing the breathing exercise 1-3 times per day with a breathing app. I mean what was the point of the Atenolol? My Bp was still elevated on the pill when I went to the doctor. Sometimes I'd take two pills before I went to the dr office and it did not stop the white coat effect. Then I would leave the doctor office and my BP would fall drastically low while driving back home. The human body is designed to have variability in BP and heart rate. I don't think fight or flight is abnormal as long as it turns itself off when you don't need it any more. All I know is when I'm hiking trails I need my heart pumping in order to climb hills.
Anxiety of getting my BP taken is it for me. Went to the docs last week BP was 140/80 but at home been monitoring my BP since I have to go back and it’s been from 115-125/69-75 which is annoying I’m just 22. You’re videos are great btw 👌🏽
It's the same case for me. At home my BP goes usually 130/80 (which is somewhat high already), but at the doctor's it goes up to 180/100, and I'm only 21.
Practicing visual imagery of being at the doctor's office, having low BP reading on your monitor along with muscle relaxation and deep breathing can also be helpful.
Thanks a million for this easy to grasp and understand video, also I'd just like to say you are a very humble and generally very concerned in improving people's health
When I was around 5 years old, I cut my lip and had to go to the hospital for stiches. When I got into the room with the doctor and nurse, they took me from my dad and as he started to walk out of the room I cried and cried and tried to get away from the nurse. So they tied me down to the table with straps and came at me with a needle to put me out for the stitches. Ever since then, any strap causes my BP to go to between 174 and 220 when it is taken by either a nurse or a technician I don't know. However, when I see my doctor of 20+ years, I get around 135/85 and one time about 10 years ago, I had a 120/80 with him. Must be the trauma of the original incident that still causes the high BP with unknown medical staff. Excellent video and will try the smiling outside my doctor's office.
I’m a truck driver. My BP at home is 116/76. When I go to get my medical certification my BP is 160/ 79. Can not get certified with BP over 140. is very sad because I can’t control it. Is my job is how I feed my family!!
Get a cheap cuff and put it on. Inflate it. Do not take actual readings. Do it all day (or days) until you are sick of it. After a while, you will notice you no longer care. A lot of white coat hypertension comes from the physical stimuli, e.g., the inflation sounds and feelings of compression on the arm. This along with what the doctor says will help. I also tell the nurse or doctor that I have WCH and not to tell me the readings unless they are low. The numbers are also triggers, especially for future visits. If you have high blood pressure beyond WCH, then you obviously need to do more. ALSO, avoid the wrist BP units. They have a hard time getting accurate readings and will often double inflate, giving very high numbers.
Mine comes from them rushing me through like a fast food drive through, then telling me to uncross my legs. It relaxes me to cross my ankles and stretch out my legs. I think the goal is for the pt to be able to relax in order to get an accurate reading. They hit the button and start doing things to you and talking to you while the thing is pumping up. that is NOT how to take a proper BP. I get better readings if the doctor takes my BP after he's finished examining me, but they don't do things that way. Heck I bet the doctors don't know how to take a manual BP any more. And let's not forget what the copay and coinsurance does to your annoyance of being there.
I use a wrist cuff all the time and i get better readings with that than my full arm cuff. the arm cuff pumps up too high, its too tight and my muscles fight it.
I've tried those things in the office, and my systolic number is still high. I think it's important to take your BP at home and let the nurse or Dr know what your readings are at home. Mine tend to be normal at home, although I still get nervous then, and my heart rate goes up. I hate the feeling of my pulse when that cuff tightens. 😬
White coat does not have to mean you have normal bp, just a lot lower than reading. It also may have nothing to do with reacting to professionals, but rather logical concerns about being flagged as a problem person. Or cannot stand that horrible arm strangulation with gasps of lifeblood desperate to get thru, etc.
I have chronic anxiety and my heart races very easily in times of nervousness. It's so bad now no matter what I do it races. Fortunately I took mine at home last time and got a decent reading before appt. Took a pic and showed it to the hygienist. She kindly wrote down that number on my chart instead of the insanely high 159/100. I find that telling them in advance about your issue can help.
EXCELLENT advice. Especially insisting they let you sit for five minutes, which they NEVER do unless you insist (time is money for them). And yes, doctors are no more than very well-trained technicians, not even scientists (I did better than most of the pre-meds in college bio, so I have no illusions about their being geniuses). The two most important qualities of a doctor are 1) EMPATHY, and 2) not just being really well-educated but also knowing what they DON't know--which includes the whole person from inside out--only you the patient know that. It is a partnership--or should be.
The moment the syngmanometer is placed on my arms,I start feeling anxious n my heart will be beating faster which will cause my BP to rise up... I Will try my best to forget and think abt something else buh it won't work. Immediately it is taken off I feel ok. This has caused my BP to always be around 130 upwards. It's really a big problem to me
Thank you for the information. Even at home when I have to take my Blood Pressure it is high. I talk to myself to relax but it does not work. Now I will try the tip on breathing.
My BP was 156 over something last time I saw my GP and that was the lowest it's been in a Dr's surgery. He wants me to take my BP at home, but it's not the Dr that makes me anxious it's the BP monitor. I've been stressing about it since December 7 and have to go back later in January because my thyroid count was too high and the thyroxin dose is changed so I have to have that checked again late January and I want to have a week's BP readings to show him but I can't do it. I have the monitor out on the coffee table to try to desensitise myself to it and am hoping that the Dr can retrieve the results from the memory because I'm not even going to look at them, that's if I can make myself take my BP for the week before my appointment.
The machine also makes me nervous. As soon as I hear the velcro and feel it sqeezing my arm I feel my beats getting higher . I hate it and now I'm confused and want to rule out hbp , anxiety combined with wcs. 🥹
Mine well might be high--maybe? But I have even gotten anxious from the meter itself so it happens at home. Even thinking about taking it. Now on second medication--I really don't want more of it, so obviously have a reason for being anxious!! I have a little breathing app on my phone which helps.
Thank you so much, I have terrible white coat syndrome at the dr, dentist even veterinarian when my dog gets a shot or blood draw! I wanted to try like exposure therapy but then covid came so eventually will get to it.
@@zoey1125 it’s where you go to your anxiety trigger place and slowly build up time you can be there without anxious symptoms, I had to do it to just go into large buildings or the mall, under the direction of a psychologist I would go to the mall walk in sit down for 1-3 minutes the first time then leave, then go back a day or two later and keep going back different days and increasing the time until I could just walk in an shop without any anxiety symptoms. It worked.
@@Gracie2276 well gee wish m hope I'll get better even and especially with the white coat syndrome. I was that way even with taking blood pressure or anything at doctors office. Heart rate race. Is that a book or class you take. Think I want to take a yoga class
What bothers me is when going for a DOT physical, passing everything likes its nothing, but the BP. I hate when they have me sit up for the BP reading. I am always relaxed in a chair, but when I go in, they always have me sitting up, with my back unsupported... So annoying...
Alot of physicians are aware of white coat syndrome but play dumb and act as though you are dying or going to have a heart attack in their office.. More training needs to be implemented in the medical field about it to avoid unnecessary Misdiagnosing...
I have had my blood pressure taken one time in 2 years and medicine was prescribed, I have asked to wait five minutes and that has never happened. Also, why does an assistant walk in with a very short cuff that has CHILD printed and insist that it be used ?
Why do the cuffs have to make so much noise? I've literally been prescribed three medications now and feel awful and often my blood pressure is so low. Still, the white coat syndrome remains. Today I requested a benzo and an SSRI to try to deal with this. I also need to get life insurance but I'm never going to be able to get it the way I am now in doctors' offices. Thank you for the helpful information! P.S. Also I think my doctor thinks I'm a liar and that my pressure readings aren't good anywhere but there.
Why do I need to fix my white coat syndrome? I have it. When I go it is 200/100. At home it is 130s/80s or lower. I am 70 years old. My recent eye test shows no damage to my eyes from blood pressure. I have fibromyalgia which makes the blood pressure cuff causes me excruciating pain. Advocate for yourself.
How do I find the 2 videos that you mentioned. The one on proper breathing techniques and the one for 4 drinks to lower blood pressure? Thanks for your video!
Being a medical assistant, I don’t get exited with White Coat People. But experiencing my mother’s high blood pressure since early childhood (it happened after my dad’s death, when I was 5 years) I got kind of preconditioned. I get exited when I get close to the blood pressure meter instantly. Even at home. I realized this when I use the Pulse Oximeter. Guess it’s something similar to White Coat syndrome. Thank you for all the good information on RU-vid!
After my mother passed I had high blood pressure. When I would have my blood pressure taken, my heart rate would be even up to 130 to 140bpm. Doctors thought I had a heart rate problem... until I got covid and bought an oximeter... my normal heart rate is around 72... I thought, let me make sure my heart rate is low before taking my blood pressure. From the moment the cuff starts inflating, heart rate shoots up above 100. Then is when I and my doctors accepted that I really had white coat syndrome, even at home when taking my own reading.
@@RJHEllis It's so real. My heart races to 100-120 as soon as they come toward me with the machine. I started taking mine at home where it's a little better and my dental hygienist was nice enough to let me use the reading from my home instead of the insanely high reading she got. (I took a picture of the reading)
I tried breathing, I tried to laugh and joke around, I was 160/82, when I got there to the doctor. I'm very tense, I just can't relax at any doctor or dentist visit. I'm still high at the end of appointment 156/88. I can't find a way to relax at all. At home, I'm 132/74. At work, I'm the same, like 124/76. I have multiple blood pressure machines. It doesn't go down until I get home. Next visit, I'm gonna try to smile.
I really enjoy your videos and down to earth personality. Do you mind me asking, where do you practise and can you recommend a dr. Like yourself in florida. I have a hard time finding one that I really feel comfortable with.
I'm currently on BP medicine bit want to get off. I've been on my journey of healthy eating for almost 2 years and recently started working out. My goal in the next 3 weeks(before my next Drs appointment) is to lower my BP and cholesterol. What do you recommend?
Good Day, I have a similar problem, well I am overweight and trying by all means to lose weight and was given medication, my blood pressure at home goes as 120/75 but at the doctor it can go for up to 152/95, because I am so nervous, and the sad thing is i lost so many job opportunities because of this, because I work in environment where you need to be medically, I mean I may not be the healthiest person in the world but I challenged myself to lose weight and if it still doesn't work then I know it was fear and not because of my weight, I am even watching anxiety videos, I lost so many job opportunities because of this, they say because of my high blood pressure I am not medically fit, it hurts so bad
My cardiologist finally realized that I suffer from white coat syndrome 🙃 because at my last visit back in December he asked me if I get anxious when I go to the doctor and I told him yes because when I take my pressure at home it's 128/82 or lower and when I go for my appointments it runs 132/86. He took me off of one medication and I'm still on one that's 60mg of nifedipine which he plans on cutting it in half in a few months
Is 132/ 86 bad or a bp issue.i an nit medication but I suffer from anxiety n believe I am going die if I have bp I don't want drugs yet I.. I am just confused
Worse with nurses and techs than the doctors. Techs and nurses are more ageist and more patronizing. I’d rather have the doc take the bp after we’ve been chatting. Crowded noisy waiting rooms don’t help. How can you focus on breathing when a noisy television is blaring, people are talking loudly, and people talk loudly, even on cell phones? Actually sitting alone in the office, especially after a long wait, creates even more anxiety. I’m ready to go home!
It happens to me as well. Normal readings at home at the comfort of bedroom desk. Then at the clinic ot hospital with lots of distractions the BP shot up but I know it's a bit unfair.
Right! Last time I went I panicked so much, the doctor took my blood pressure three times and they were all high, and she said if it continues to be high they'll put me on meds and it made me even more anxious 😂😂 gonna try these breathing exercises for when I go next week
Yep...this is what often happens at my doctor's office. I contribute it to walking to the office, being nervous, and other factors. I've been measuring my BP for the past couple of years (due to hospitalization and infrequent episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which I'm being treated with medication). I will measure it before I go to the doctor, and it's completely normal (mid 110s over lower 70s); when I get to the office, the initial measure is the 140s/150s over mid 80s, but after I talk with my doctor and sit for 15-20 minutes, he usually takes it again, and it goes down to the mid 120s/low 80s. My pulse increases from the low 50s (due to the medication) to the 80s, and then goes back down to the 60s.
I think that was a problem years ago. Now, I have a great dr & it's not an issue.👍👍 You mentioned what does it take to go to or pass medical school?...Hard work, sleepless nights & to be a good or great doctor is compassion. Not all are. Oops!😥
I refuse to have my bp taken at doctor’s office. What’s the point? I have it taken at annual endoscopy after taking a Xanax and tell nurse not to tell me. Some can’t help themselves. It’s in 140’s. In ER I watched it go down by the hour. Next month I’ll wear a monitor for 24 hours. Did it years ago. 117/something good.
Hello doc. I also have white coat hypertension. I dont take any medications or maintenance for that. I have an appointment next week. Is it okay to take amlodipine before going to my appointment?
I have been watching your videos for the last week. I have been on Lisinopril for about 10 years and haven’t taken Lisinopril for about 5 days now and using the techniques you teach us along with some supplements , my BP has remained normal throughout the day ! My lowest reading was 117/74 - I am so excited! Thank you for all of the advice ! God bless !
Hi Doc! When I was younger my readings used to be 110/70. Now that I'm much older. My readings can be 176/80+. Not only that, but it fluctuates each time the nurse does another take. This can be like three times within ten minutes... And my right hand reading is always higher than the left, sometimes a difference of twenty???... My last reading was 176/80+, yet my heart rate reading was 94, and oxygen 99????
100% anxiety. Mine was 196/112 pulse was 133... this was at home. It started w me checking it and it was first at 139/79.... the more I did it the more my heart raced along with my anxiety. This was all in my head and myself getting worked up. It eventually came back down but I've seen it go from 180 back to 129 in 5 mins. Bp monitors trigger it and then the thoughts n worrying of if it's high or not and all this negative thoughts just eventually destroy you. I've isolated myself for days in a room cuz of the anxiety but I'm here to tell you, it's all in your head and your fine.
Depends on how long you tend to stay in that state. If you breathe like that regularly over time, it will more accurately reflect your resting BP. But if you ONLY do it during a test it could be artificially lower and not stay there.
This advice is everywhere and it’s not helpful for a large majority of people suffering from white coat hypertension. This is because the root of the majority of white coat hypertension is trauma. I, for example, had 2 traumatic premature births due to extreme preeclampsia. Because of this my brain has identified my blood pressure being taken as a threat, it does not matter at all if I breath deeply, smile, think about beaches, or whatever, the minute that blood pressure cuff is put on my arm, my brain automatically responds with the fight/flight response and my HR and BP shoot up. For me, it doesn’t matter how many times they take it, my blood pressure doesn’t go down until I’m home away from the threat. This is completely involuntary and something I have no control over. Thankfully, every Dr I’ve been to is very understanding and let’s me bring in my home measurements to get a more accurate measure of my BP. So please stop saying things like “this will fix your white coat syndrome,” because the issue is not black and white, and for many people, deep breathing and smiling do absolutely nothing to combat the problem.
AAAAH Same! I feel exactly the same way. I've had really traumatic experiences with it and now it's worse than ever and I have NO control over it. Im going to try hypnotherapy. Sorry for your trauma x
@@faeryfliss it’s so hard :( I made a Dr appointment for my husband yesterday and just thinking of him getting his blood pressure taken caused me anxiety all day. It’s such a beat down sometimes. Let me know if hypnotherapy helps!
@@Serve24 Oh dear its really terrible. When I had to get my tonsils removed I took beta blockers just to get accepted into surgery. I'll let you know how it goes. I had to have an iron infusion last week. At home 111/59 there it got up to 210/100. They understand but still insist on taking it and it spikes so high it scares me x
my bp levels was above 200/80 while checking with doctor at home i got 121/80 guys don't fix in your mind that you have bp trust that it is a white coat syndrome .
hi doctor i want to ask you if its normal when i inhale at the end of my blood pressure test result is much more higher than when i exhale at the end of the blood pressure test
